WotC Hasbro gains big time from D&D, Magic, Monopoly, and Baldur's Gate 3

[Reynard]

because BG3 did that in a month (not entirely true, early access, I know) while D&D beat that over 10 years.

If D&D sold 10M PHBs or 10M of one adventure module in a year, we would hear a lot more about that too

D&D is definitely having a moment, but in the end it is still a niche hobby compared to video games. I don't think it benefits from trying to compete with video games, either.

 

[Scribe]

Similarly, I wonder how many people that jumped on PF2 after the OGL debacle are going to be keen to buy the "remaster" books.

Yeah, I get why they did it, but I'm not happy with that.

 

[darjr]

Yeah, I get why they did it, but I'm not happy with that.

from what I have heard sales are still a bit elevated. Not like they were immediately after of coarse. But not back to baseline.

 

[Velderan]

There is no way to count "concurrent D&D players" for good or ill. And do we have any idea how many of the oft-touted 13 Million Beyond users actually pay anything?

Or even log in at all.

I couldn't begin to guess a number, but I'm sure a not insignificant amount of people created accounts just to access a UA packet, check out a free item, or to play in a campaign that isn't going anymore. If that wasn't true, they'd be spinning the number of users who log-in weekly or have made a purchase when they talk numbers because those metrics would convey a high level of user engagement which is the kind of stuff that excites investors.

 

[Scribe]

from what I have heard sales are still a bit elevated. Not like they were immediately after of coarse. But not back to baseline.

Yeah which is fine, I wish them success, but I saw Pathfinder as a continuation of the D&D line or an offshoot, if they are going to chop off the parts that are clearly 'D&D' then it is less to me. The fact they moved away from the tone of PF1 quite considerably in some areas also seals it.

Just me though.

 

[Teemu]

But the new books aren't for us, they are for hypothetical future players since they are designed to be perfectly compatible with 2014 5E. If ENWorld's WotC defenders are right, there shouldn't be a surge due to the new core books.

It's 10 years since the release of 5e, or will be next year when the new books come out. Personally I don't think it's too greedy to release a new version after a full decade.

 

[darjr]

Yeah which is fine, I wish them success, but I saw Pathfinder as a continuation of the D&D line or an offshoot, if they are going to chop off the parts that are clearly 'D&D' then it is less to me. The fact they moved away from the tone of PF1 quite considerably in some areas also seals it.

Just me though.

Well as part of what I’ve heard it’s not just PF but also RPGs that are not WotC D&D, across the board.

 

[Reynard]

It's 10 years since the release of 5e, or will be next year when the new books come out. Personally I don't think it's too greedy to release a new version after a full decade.

Well, that's the rub, right? We can't even decide if this constitutes a "new version." It is starting to feel more like the Black Border 2E set -- errata and new art and layout -- than, say, 3.5. I think everyone can agree it isn't a "new edition."

 

[Burnside]

BG3 could hit ten million and could make Hasbro $6 per buyer.

Which is interesting when you think of the number of Beyond users (13 million) or the number of active D&D players, even bigger than that.

For all the deserved hype about BG3 it's not bigger than D&D, which doesn't have that hype.

BG3 probably cost Hasbro roughly nothing, though. Larian is paying them for the license.

 

[darjr]

Also it’s always been. Or nearly so since D&D could be had as a computer game.

I can’t find it now but there is a quote from a WotC person who was new in charge of some part of purchased TSR and was wondering how it was gong to pay for everyone. Then he got the Baldur’s Gate video game check and realized, “Oh, that’s how”